The Kweendom of Abstraction

story

Tara walked hurriedly through the crowd…multi-tasking her way to her destination. She toggled between glances at her phone, rummaging through her purse, and looking back to make sure the bus wouldn’t leave her. Tara was petite in stature, which kept her line of sight at best…right at most people’s shoulders. The pedestrians bustling in the opposite direction of her seemed extra tall today. “I can’t be late…geez, move it people!” she mumbled. She’d receive a shoulder bump here, a duck and dodge there…making her feel like a lab mouse in a maze. Finally, as she was clearing the sea of city-goers…Tara bumped directly into a brick wall. Not an actual brick wall, but he felt like one. He was freakishly tall and very stoic in his expression. His build was medium but he had the face of a large man. His eyes seemed larger than normal as well. Dressed like a businessman except for a large Stetson, he seemed to fit in. He smashed the book into her chest swiftly and roughly saying, “Take this…go…NOW!” Tara said, “I don’t want it…HEL…” she began to summoning help, but he commanded her mouth closed with his hand gently at her jugular. “I will not hurt you…but, those seeking the book will. Keep going straight, a cab will stop at the corner, get in, say nothing…you will be driven somewhere safely. DO NOT OPEN THE BOOK!!” he ordered. He stepped to his left and walked away. When she turned around, Tara saw him slip between two people and he became lost as quickly as he’d appeared. She turned back around and walked to the corner. The cab stopped, she got in, she said nothing and the driver took off. He didn’t even attempt to make eye contact through the rear view mirror. Tara looked down at the book, a forest green tome, thick with at least 800 pages and covered in moss with a symbol of a brass owl on the front. Tara did the one thing she wasn’t supposed to…she opened the book. The cab shook violently, lit up like the sun, rose from the pavement and twirled clockwise over and over. The cab driver and Tara disappeared from the city’s street. Two blocks down…around a corner and behind a building…the tall cowboy felt her open the book and uttered, “salvum me fac!”…then disintegrated into silver dust…

He put in her name, her mother’s name, her father’s name, her sister’s name, her cousin’s name…hell…he put in her pet name from HS. Nothing.

For almost 10 months Mason looked for Allana. He’d spent the last 9 years married to the woman he met while at a conference for jewelers. He met and fell for Lola because she reminded him of Allana and her whimsical spirit. His jewelry business had flourished almost immediately, to his surprise and pleasure…surely a sign that his muse approved…wherever she was.

Gems were Allana’s love. She collected everything she could find, from crystal quartzes and tiger’s eye to estate jewelry from auctions. He followed her to antique shops after school as she perused the boutiques looking for pieces to add to her wardrobe. She almost always spent her allowance on lucky finds…like the cameo ring that had to have been worth a grip, but she paid $13 dollars for. She also found a loose rough cut onyx piece and had a jeweler make a pendant out of it. Allana gave it to Mason on graduation day. Shortly after, she went off to college and they broke up after life caught them in different places. Neither of them are really sure WHO broke it off to this day…

Today, Mason…still married to Lola…was obsessed with finding his childhood paramour. He cared for Lola, but their marriage was on it’s last legs. She’d already begun dating other people and had moved to her mother’s house with their son, but also stayed with him during the week for her job’s commute. It was weird, but it was working.

Mason was getting frustrated. The social sites didn’t have her given name as searchable. Her family had long moved and scattered from their hometown. He didn’t know where any of her old friends were because he, too had moved and lost contact. This was frustrating as hell. He longed to know if she was okay. If she’d married…had kids…thought of him in the middle of the night. He had to know where his “Lani” was.

At his store, he just worked away and did little else. He crafted, melted, shined, molded, appraised and hocked his days away. Late nights at the store were a given. Anything to stay out of Lola’s hair. They were divorcing amicably, but she was still hard to live with. Often, the very similarities about her that made him see Allana…were the same ones that irritated him to no end.

“Can you bring me something home? A sandwich or something? I’m hungry and too tired to drive…thanks.” Lola pretty much demanded.“I’ll see…by the time I get home it’ll be late. Don’t bet on me.” he said.“Pastrami, mustard, sauerkraut…on roll. Thanks” …Lola ordered and hung up.

Mason looked at the phone and shook his head. When he looked up…his past stood in front of him in stereo.

“Allana?” he asked with glassy eyes.“Mason! Wow…I can’t believe…” Allana said with a smile brighter than her sparkling drop earrings.

He came from behind the counter…and scooped her up. She looked the same to him…smelled like memories and hope. He grabbed her face and kissed her. When Mason registered his assumptive actions…he stepped back, smoothed his clothes and apologized.

“I’m sorry, Allana…I don’t even know if you’re married, with someone…I’m so sorry.” He pleaded.

With her own eyes glazed with emotion, Allana stepped closer and said, “I’ve missed you. I never got married. I have no kids. I can’t even recall the last significant relationship I’ve had. I can’t believe we allowed so many years to pass. I am so grateful that your wife found me.”

Mason blinked. He shook his head and heard his mental voice say, “Who, Lola?” …even though nothing exited his mouth. He stood frozen, tears welling up…confusion mounting and questions on the verge of barreling out of him. “Who? What? Are you sure? Do you know her? Lola? Lola Fields?”

Allana laughed and said, “Yes…your WIFE!”

She pointed toward the door and he saw Lola standing outside the door against the stone wall. She waved and nodded, then walked away.

He said, “I don’t understand…”

Allana said, “She found your search on the laptop in your home office. She said she knew you’d never gotten over me. She asked her detective uncle to run a check on my name and found me at my business…I sell jewelry, too.”

Mason couldn’t believe it. His wife did the most selfless thing she’d ever done in their marriage besides give birth to their son. In that moment, he saw love on two deep levels. His and Allana’s undying love for one another…and his wife’s love for the man who would always be her friend. He couldn’t have been luckier to have two diamonds in his life.

They sat and talked all night long…the promise of love rediscovered glistening in the night.